Bicycle driving mechanism.



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Patented Aug.. 26, |902.

' G. H. SPAULDING, Decd.

L. L. SPAULDING, Adminisirarix. BICYCLE DRIVING MECHANISM.

(Applxcatxon tiled Max- 80 1900) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

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Ifll lll NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. SPAULDING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOGEORGE NIEDERMAIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; LOIS L. SPAULDING AD-MINISTRATRIX OF SAID GEORGE H. SPAULDING, DECEASED.

BICYCLE DRIVING IVIECHANISIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,872, dated August26, 1902.

Application tiled March 30, 1900. Serial No. 10,745. (No model.)

To @ZZ 2071.077?. t may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE H. SPAULDING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in a Bicycle Driving Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a speciiication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

.1o In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improvedbicycle. Fig. 2 is a section at the line 2 2 on Fig. l through the axisof the crank-shaft. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the speed-train andthe case in which it is I5 contained with the movable side detached.Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section of the speed-gearing frame, showinga portion of the train therein as at the line et et on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 isan edge elevation of the speed-gearzo ing frame and train therein,including the prime-motor shaft or crank-shaft, which extends throughthe frame. Fig. G is a detail side elevation of the crank-shaft bearing,the crank-shaft itself being shown in section,

the view being as at the line 6 6 on Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective ofthe coupling which connects the speed-gearing frame to thebicycle-frame. Fig. 8 is a detail section through the frame at the line9 9 on Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is 3o a detail side elevation of the centralportion of the rear drive-wheel and connections, showing themodification in the manner of locating the links connecting thedrive-Wheel to the frame.

My invention relates to the speed-gear train and the construction bywhich the case of that train becomes the means of communieating power tothe drive-wheel and speci/ticallyin the preferred form of constructionillus- 4o trated becomes a friction-pulley operating upon the peripheryof the drive-Wheel to communicate power thereto.

It consists in the speed-gearing frame and a speed-train whose wheelsare jourualed in or on such frame, the prime-motor shaft or crank-shaftc being journaled in said frame and the prime wheel K of the motor-trainbeing fixed on the crank-shaft between the bearings of the latter in theframe, a gearing-case 5o F (which is the friction-pulley abovementioned) inclosing the speed-gear frame and train and apertured at thecenter, so that it may be journaled concentrically about thecrank-shaft, which extends out through its said opening, and so thatalso through said opening connection may loe made from the rear framewithin the case to the bicycleframe outside the gear-case, said framesbeing non-rotatably connected together and the last Wheel of thespeed-gear train being rigid 6o and concentric with the gearing-case onthe inner side thereof. In the specific construction 4which I haveshown, which has certain advantages, as will be pointed out, thisspeedgear train comprises two side plates H H2, which are connected atpoints remote from the center by bolts h h2, said plates having at theircenters trunnions H10 and H20, respectively, which are hollow and affordjournalbear ugs i'or the crank-shaf t c. The gearing- 7o case F has alsohollow trunnions F' and F2, through which the hollow trunnions H10 andH20 of the gearing-frame extend, and said gear-frame trunnions arenon-rotatably connected to the fork-arms L L of the crankhanger fork ofthe frame L by means of couplings M M, which engage such fork-armsbeyoud the ends of the trunnions F' F of the case and also extend withinsaid trunnions and afford interior bearings for the same, 8o saidcase-trunnions being exteriorlyjournaled also in the said fork-arms L.In the speciic construction shown it will be noticed also that all thewheels of the speed-gear train are between the plates H and H2 of thespeed- 8 5 gear frame. This train comprises the prime wheel K, alreadymentioned, which meshes with the pinion K', rigid with the gear K2, andboth journaled on thebolt h2, which connects the two side plates H H2,the pinion K2, 9o journaled on the stud-bolt 702, rooted in the plate Hand meshing with the `last pinion K4, which is rigid and concentric, asstated, with the gearing-case F on the inner wall thereof. The locationof all the Wheels of the train between the side walls or plates of thespeed-gearing frame necessitates some provision for rooting the trunnionon the side of said frame at which the last pinion K4 is located andformed rigidly with the case in roo the substance of the gearing-frameat a point inwardbeyond the point of said pinion, and for this purpose Iform in the plate H2a pocket H21, in which the pinion K4 is located, thetrunnion H20 at that side extending from the bottom of that pocketthrough the pinion K4, said pocket being cut away at one side at thepoint 7521 to permit the pinion K3 to extend into said pocket andintermesh with and drive the case F to cause it to operate asafrictionpulley'to actuate the drive-wheel, as above described. Thecoupling M, which I employ as the means of connecting the speed-gearframe non-rotatably with the bicycle-frame, has for this purpose aninterior spline or feather m, which engages with a corresponding grooveh1@ in the outer surface of the outer portion of the trunnion, and atits outer periphery said coupling has a notch m', which engages a splineor tooth Z, which projects into the groove l', in which the flange M ofthe coupling is seated and by which it is engaged with the fork-arm, soas to be longitudinally fixed, the engagement of the notch and toothabove described causing it to be non-rotatably fixed in the fork-arm.

It will be seen that the construction above described requires orrenders desirable a bifurcated crank-hanger having a deep crotch betweenits fork-arms to allow room for the friction-pulley and gear-case F. Inorder that a fork of suitable length of arm to accommodate this largepulley and case may, notwithstanding its depth or length, be suitablyrigid with the reaches of the frame extending to the steering-head andseat-post, I bifurcate each of said reaches N and P, the former at N andthe latter at P', and unite the fork-arms of said reaches at each sideof the case F in the hub or boss Q, in which also the lower fork-arm R,which extends to the rear-wheel-axle support,terminates. In these hubsthe trunnions of the speed-gearing frame and case are secured by thehinged clasp R', which interiorly forms each one-half of the bearing ofthe case and one-half the seat of the coupling M. The case F is arrangedto be opened at one side, being made of two parts, so that the gearingframe and train may be introduced into it. As illustrated, one part ofthe case comprises the entire friction periphery or rim F2, while theother part is a plate F3, which forms only one side and comprises thehub or trunnion at the center. In order to facilitate oiling thegearing-train, I prefer to make the plate F3 with a part hinged to theremainder and arranged to be secured in closed position and to be openedfor the introduction of oil or for other attention to the speed-gearingtrain.

In the drawings, particularly in Fig. l, I have shown my improvedbicycle with the gear-case and friction-pulley F located in the positionin which I have actually and preferably employed it-that is, with theaxis substantially at the level of the axle of the rear drive wheel. Inthis position, which for many reasons is preferable to the ordinaryposition of the crank-shaft, itw'culd be manifestly impracticable tomount the pedals directly on the crank-wrist, since this would be verymuch too high and would compel the elevation of the seat and handle-barsto an extent which would make an unmarketable becausehighly-inconvenient machine. I am obliged, therefore, to employ swinginglinks B B, pivoted on' the crankwrists b', pivoted at their upper endsto controlling-links A and having the pedals B at their lower ends. Inthis construction I utilize the controllinglinks A as levers, by meansof which the rider may be able to drive the machine independently of thefeet resting lon the pedals, this being made possible by hinging said1evers A at their rear ends to the seat. This feature of construction,which is incidental to, although it grows directly out of, theemployment of the speed-gear case above described, is not claimed inthis application, being regarded as independent invention.

I claiml. In a bicycle, the combination with the frame, thespeed-gearing frame, the crankshaft or prime-motor shaft havingjournalbearings in the speed-gearing frame, said gearing-frame beingmade rigid at the ends of said j ournal-bearings With the bicycle-framea gearing-case having journals encompassing said journal-bearings ofsaid shaft and encompassed at its ends by the terminals of thebicycle-frame; the speed train having its first wheel iixed on thecrank-shaft and its last wheel concentric with said shaft and xed tosaid case, said gearing-case being exteriorly constructed to operate asa Wheel communicating power to the drive-wheel.

2. In a bicycle, in combination with the main frame, a speed-gear frame;a two-part gearing-case Which may be parted to admit the speed gear andtrain, the case having hollow trunnions and being journaled thereby inthe main frame; the speed-gearing frame also having hollow trunnions,said trunnions extending through the hollow trunnions of the case, andcoupling-sleeves extending between the respective trunnions of the caseand the speed-gear frame, such coupling-sleeves having flanges at theouter ends extending past the ends of the hollow trunnions of the caseto connect the speed-gearing frame non-rotatably with the main frame-IDO bearings in which the gearing-case trunnions Y ing through thehollow trunnions of the case, and coupling-sleeves extending between therespective trunnions of the oase and the speed-gear frame, suchcoupling-sleeves having flanges at the outer ends extending past theends of the hollow trunnions of the case to connect the speed-gearingframe non-rotatably with the fork-arms of the Crank-han ger.

4:. In combination with a bicycle-frame, a speed-gear case having hollowtrunnions, which are journaled in the bicycle-frame; a speed-gear framewithin the oase the primeinotor shaft j ournaledin the speed-gear frameand extending out through the hollow trunnions of the oase, a speed-geartrain having its prime wheel fixed on the shaft between the bearings ofthe latter in the speed-gear frame, and the last wheel rigid andconcentrio with the case; and couplings which oonneet the bicycle-frame, outside the case-bearings non-rotatably with the speed-gear frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day of March, A. D. 1900.

GEORGE H. SPAULDING.

In presence of- CHAS. S. BURTON, ADNA H. BOWEN, J r.

